This invention pertains to trunked radio frequency (RF) communication systems or, more particularly, to a method of displaying subscriber incompatibilities with talk groups in trunked RF communication systems.
Modern-day radio frequency (RF) trunked communication systems can be understood with reference to FIGS. 1A and FIG. 1B, which depicts a typical RF communication system (100) arranged with a console (5). As shown, the RF communication system (100) includes fixed equipment (4) arranged to facilitate communication between several subscribers 1 (1), 2 (2) and 3 (3). The console (5) is equipped with a display (6) and connected to the fixed equipment by means of a first suitable link (7). Also shown is a computerized controller (8) connected to the console by means of a second suitable link (9) and connected to the fixed equipment by means of a third suitable link (10).
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one of the functions of the console typically is to assign subscribers to talk groups. Once a particular subscriber is a member of a particular talk group, the subscriber can readily communicate with other subscribers in the same talk group. Referring to the figure, subscribers 2 and 3, depicted in FIG. 1B, are members of talk group A (11), whereas subscriber 1, depicted in FIG. 1A, is not.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all subscribers are compatible with all talk groups. For example, assume subscribers 2 (2) and 3 (3) are capable of data communication, while subscriber 1 (1) is not. Assume also that talk group A (11) has been established for the sole purpose of supporting a data communication session. In this example, subscribers 2 (2) and 3 (3), being capable of data communication, may be members of talk group A (11), as shown, while subscriber 1 (1), being incapable of data communication, cannot be a participating member of talk group A (11).
With modern RF communication systems becoming increasingly large and complex, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, from time to time, a console operator may inadvertently assign an incompatible subscriber to a talk group. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that, even though a console operator may initially assign a compatible subscriber to a talk group, the subscriber may later become incompatible with the talk group due to subsequent re-arrangements or changes made within the system.
As a result, the inventor has discovered it is difficult for operators of modern RF communication systems to administer the compatibility of a substantial number of subscribers with a corresponding number of talk groups. While prior RF communication systems have provided computerized control systems that enabled the console operator to determine the compatibility of a subscriber with a talk group, the inventor has discovered it would be particularly useful if the RF communication system provided a console display of the compatibility of a subscriber with a talk group.